The immediate future is likely to be a combination of human workers amid automation and not a “lights out” factory devoid of people entirely.

Very true. General Motors fantasized about ‘lights out factories’ in the 1980s and failed miserably. It is not the right “True North” to have in mind.

[Robots are put in place for] focus on tasks that are “dirty, dull and dangerous”

Yes! These are the tasks to automate in priority. Other tasks are usually best done by humans, aided by smart semi-automation, by mistake-proofing systems, etc. In some cases it is better to go to full automation, but that cost-benefit analysis should only be done after all the low-tech improvements have been made.

New robots come with “eyes” designed to allow them to scan parts for defects.

Vision systems have been used for 30 years and the hardware is now inexpensive (for most applicable, at least). These systems are a must for robots to recognize and pick the right parts, to recognize defects and put them aside, and so on.

Reduced regulations allow factories to drop some of the protective cages that once encased robots and kept them far from human workers. Now, some co-bots can work alongside assembly line workers, armed with motion-sensor technology and warning lights that make them slow down or even stop moving when a human gets too close.

This allows for the gradual replacement of low-skill assembly jobs by automated systems. Let’s face it, young generations prefer other types of jobs.

Quality Inspections & Supply Chain Management in China

This blog is written by Renaud Anjoran, an ASQ Certified Quality Engineer who has been involved in Chinese manufacturing since 2005.
Renaud's company performs factory audits/evaluations, product QC inspections, and factory process improvements.